'We stick together'

Editor's note: This is another in an occasional series looking at the impact Hurricane Katrina is having on the Coastal Empire. The series examines the effects on public schools, social services and the job market. It will also profile some of the families from the storm area who are finding help here.

Hugh Futrell is used to managing people and resources as assistant chief for Southside Fire/EMS.

But he's never faced the challenge of providing fire protection without the benefit of fire trucks or stations.

That was, until last month when the chief was sent to Waveland, Miss. to help rebuild its department, ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Futrell headed a group of about 30 firefighters and three dispatchers from across Georgia as incident commander.

The mission came as a surprise to the chief.

Like most people, Futrell and his family were glued to news coverage of Katrina, particularly the devastation he saw on television of Waveland. Futrell didn't know anyone there but his heart went out to the community.

"I looked at my wife and said if we go anywhere, that's where we need to go," Futrell said.

He got a call just days later from the Georgia Mutual Aid Group asking him to head the team to go to southern Mississippi. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency requested fire assistance from Georgia, Futrell said.

The crew was first dispatched to Gulfport, where officials directed them to Waveland.

"I just looked at my deputy and said 'is this destiny or what,'" Futrell said.

All of Hancock County was without any fire protection, Futrell said.

"They had no fire trucks, no people, nothing left," Futrell said. "One of their fire stations had been completely flattened."

Futrell's team spent seven days in Waveland, cleaning fire stations, handing out supplies and cleaning trees off people's homes.

But their main responsibility was protecting the community.

A Wal-Mart parking lot became the communications center, while the John C. Stennis Space Center was turned into fire headquarters.

Firefighters spent the bulk of their time at the NASA center where FEMA had set up a tent city, Futrell said.

"The population jumped from 1,500 to 6,000 people in that area, so we had to increase the fire protection," he said.

A new team of Georgia firefighters replaced Futrell's crew after seven days, but Futrell said he would have stayed as long as they needed him.

"That's what I do," he said. "These firefighters and chiefs are victims, as well as first responders. We stick together."

Futrell also serves as president of the Georgia Fire Chiefs Association.